News

Canadian Gymnastics Team Nominated for Rio 2016

GATINEAU (June 30, 2016) – On Thursday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Gymnastics Canada named the eight athletes nominated to represent Team Canada in artistic and trampoline gymnastics at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games from August 5 to 21.

The eight athletes selected include Rosie MacLennan, the defending Olympic gold medallist in trampoline from London 2012, and returning Olympians Jason Burnett (Beijing 2008 silver medallist in trampoline), Ellie Black (triple gold medallist at the 2015 Pan Am Games and member of 5th place women’s artistic team at London 2012), and Brittany Rogers (member of 5th place women’s artistic team at London 2012). Scott Morgan (2014 Commonwealth Games double gold medallist) will make his Olympic debut in men’s artistic gymnastics while rising star Isabela Onyshko (16th in the individual all-around final at the 2015 World Championships) will make her debut in women’s artistic gymnastics. The trampoline team is coached by Dave Ross, the women’s team by David Kikuchi and Lorie Henderson, and Scott Morgan by Vali Stan.

The athletes earned their Olympic nominations through various competitions including the 2015 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, the 2015 Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships, the Aquece Rio test event this past April, the 2016 Canadian Championships, and for the artistic women, at a final selection camp this past week in Gatineau.

Prior to the Olympic Games, the women’s artistic team will have a final Olympic preparation camp in Sarnia, Ontario the week before they depart for Rio, while Morgan will continue training at Flicka Gymnastics in Vancouver. MacLennan and Burnett have just wrapped up their pre-Olympic competitive season at a series of World Cup competitions in Europe and will now focus on their final preparations at Skyriders Trampoline Place in Toronto.

The artistic gymnastics competition takes place at the Rio Olympic Arena August 6-16, starting with a preliminary qualifying round, and then based on those results, a team competition for the women, followed by individual all-around and apparatus finals for both men and women. The trampoline gymnastics competition takes place at the Rio Olympic Arena on August 12 and 13 with qualifiers and finals in the men’s and women’s events.

At Rio 2016, Canada expects to field a team of more than 315 athletes.

First established in 1969, Gymnastics Canada is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada. Gymnastics Canada works closely with the twelve Provincial Federations and the 700 local clubs to provide a broad range of programs and services to meet the needs of all participants. From athlete development, to coaching and judging education, Gymnastics Canada sets the operating standards and practices for the sport in Canada. Our mandate is to promote and provide positive and diverse gymnastics experience through the delivery of quality and safe gymnastics programming.

QUOTES

“I am incredibly excited to be heading to my third Olympic Games. It's always an honour to represent Canada in a sport that I am truly passionate about and to join a team of such amazing athletes and people. Having the chance to share my passion on such a big stage is a dream come true but to be able to do that for a third time, having learned and grown from my last experiences, is really exciting.

Rosie MacLennan, Rio 2016 athlete

“Being named to our Olympic team is so great and I'm proud to be on a team with these amazing athletes. We are going to keep working to improve until the Games and we will do our best to make Canada proud!”

Ellie Black, Rio 2016 athlete

"Six years ago, seeing the 2010 Olympians in my hometown of Vancouver sent shivers down my spine. Now I can’t wait to be a part of the team I looked up to, wearing that maple leaf on my chest, showing the world Canada’s best! We each have a dream and I'm so thrilled I could make mine a reality."

Scott Morgan, Rio 2016 athlete

“Canada should be very proud to have these gymnasts representing our country this summer. We all know how competitive gymnastics is at the Olympic level and the talent we are sending gives me full confidence in our ability to compete with the best. Congratulations to everyone that has been nominated to the team.”

Curt Harnett, Rio 2016 Team Canada Chef de Mission

“We had some phenomenal results at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and with this group of athletes, who have worked so hard with their coaches and support staff to make this team, I’m confident that once again we will see performances that all Canadians can be proud of.”

Peter Nicol, Gymnastics Canada President/CEO

“Congratulations to the Gymnastics Canada athletes named to Team Canada today. I join all Canadians, especially our young athletes in gymnastics clubs across the country, in wishing our Olympic gymnasts the very best of luck as they push for the podium this summer in Rio.”

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

The artistic and trampoline gymnastics team, which will represent Canada at Rio 2016 includes:

Athletes:

First

Last

Hometown

Event

Elsabeth (Ellie)

Black

Halifax, NS

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

Jason

Burnett

Nobleton, ON

Men’s Trampoline

Rosannagh (Rosie)

MacLennan

King City, ON

Women’sTrampoline

Scott

Morgan

North Vancouver, BC

Men's Artistic Gymnastics

Shallon

Olsen

Vancouver, BC

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

Isabela

Onyshko

Brandon, MB

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

Brittany

Rogers

Vancouver, BC

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

Rose-Kaying

Woo

Brossard, QC

Women's Artistic Gymnastics

Coaches:

Position

First

Last

Hometown

Women's Artistic Coach

Lorie

Henderson

Brandon, MB

Women's Artistic Coach

David

Kikuchi

Halifax, NS

Trampoline Coach

Dave

Ross

Toronto, ON

Men's Artistic Coach

Vali

Stan

North Vancouver, BC

Prior to being named to the final Canadian Rio 2016 Team, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations.